Advance Biology - Snake Dissection Lab

(Submitted by CHS Senior, Nicole Scarrow)Mr. Bradley’s Advanced Biology class dissected common water snakes on November 14, 2018. Students were to look into the body of the snake and identify organs that were located inside. They found that the dorsal side of the snake looks just like their internal muscles and the bone found on their dorsal side. After inspecting the dorsal side of the snakes students opened the mouth of the snake and discovered where the teeth, tongue, Jacobson organ, and esophagus are located. In order to smell, a snake will use their tongue to bring air particles to the Jacobson's organ in order to identify animals that have came through the area. Finally, it was time to dig into the snake and identify the major internal organs. By using the scalpel to slit the snake from the esophagus to the cloaca students dug out the stomach, lung, fat bodies, heart, gall bladder, pancreas, and tried to identify the gender of their snake. A single lung on the right side on the inside of their body was found inside of their snake. This is because the left lung is vestigial meaning that it is very small or minuscule. Instead of having a diaphragm like mammals, the muscles located in their ribs help air enter and exit their lungs. Finally, they found a clear membrane called mesentery that keeps all organs in place.